Skillshot City News

MMR is everything.

GSA now has a ranked mode, and as a competitive gamer I am pumped! Gene Shift Auto now finally provides a true challenge, and this gives meaning to every single mechanic in the game. Sure, before you could "beat" the game and win a match.. but could you do it consistently? Can you do it with the highest win rate possible? Ranked mode now provides this challenge and lets us put our skills to the test.




The quest for the Holy Grail begins.

When you load into a match, you can choose between Casual or Ranked mode. If you select ranked mode you'll be able to earn Trophies. Trophies are awarded at the end of the match based on your score. First place gets 10 trophies, second place gets 8, third gets 6, and so on.

After 5 placement matches you will be given a rating and a corresponding rank. Your rating is based on your AVERAGE TROPHIES PER MATCH. This means that if you place poorly in a game (or quit early) your rating will go down. This makes rating an actual measure of skill, rather than who has played the longest.

Having said that, someone who consistently averages 1st or 2nd place over 100 games is probably better than someone who by chance happens to win 1 match. So our ratings initially start a bit lower and will approach towards our true average as we demonstrate our ability to win games CONSISTENTLY.




The rating system is tied to the monthly leaderboards, where players can climb the ranks and see who can get the highest rating each month. When a new month starts, the previous month will be archived and winners will be immortalized in the previous month's leaderboards page.

Also, at the start of each month, everyone's rating will have a soft reset and be partially reduced. This soft reset allows new players to have a chance at the top spot, and also ensures that our ranks are up to date and reflect our skills in the current meta.




Of course, the most important part of any ranking system is showing off.

As your rating improves, so too will your rank. When your rating crosses over the next threshold you will get a new rank title and badge. Whenever you play a ranked match (not casual), this badge will show next to your name in the in-game scoreboards, letting everyone know who the real danger is.



As a final cool benefit, the game is now using the ranking technology to secretly determine player's skills behind the scenes, even when ranked mode is disabled. These hidden ratings will be useful to ensure balanced squads and potentially match making in the future.




Ranked mode is the big new feature that just dropped, but here are a few other smaller changes that have been released since the last major Steam announcement.

Stronger GTA Focus: There are new civilian missions, and a sense of exploration as you use vehicles to find them. We can also climb wanted levels much faster for those going a PvE farming strategy (is PvE the best way to win games? With ranks we can now find out!)

More Risk & Reward Mechanics: You now get bonus XP and cash for killing players during overtime, but this is the riskiest time to hunt for kills as if you die you can't revive. Likewise, supply drops have been buffed, but they now land just before overtime, increasing the risk.

Faster Gameplay: The game is just faster and crisper now. We move faster, especially during combat. This requires more skill to aim and lead targets. The TTK is also faster, and weapons are more differentiated.

More Features for F2P Players: Players without the DLC can now attempt 24 instead of 10 challenges from the challenge grid. Also, the ability to co-op with friends in survival mode is no longer restricted. Hardcore survival mode is also avaiable to F2P players.

Extra Powerful Lvl 4 Skills: It is now harder to take a skill up to max level of 4, but if you do it will extra powerful, as the 4th skill point is now worth double (as if it was level 5). You must get 10 skill points before you can take a skill up to max level though, so get farming!

Skill Balancing: With ranked mode, I needed to make sure the skills were ACTUALLY balanced, based on cold hard data. So I added a new stats tracking system to check the win rates and kill rates of each individual skill. It turned out that the passive weapon skills were mega OP, and many actives were underperforming (as they require more skill to use). So I've done the buffs and now the tricksy interesting skills are competitive.

There are a lot of other changes, small quality of life fixes, better graphics, more visceral level up and kill effects etc. There's too much to list but it's all available in the in-game changelogs.




Next version I will continue expanding the perks system and turn it into a full-fledged class system. By grouping the perks into classes we can buff the effects significantly while keeping them balanced. It will be easier than ever to switch between playstyles and live out your wildest warrior / assassin / mage / engineer / spy / outlaw fantasies.

Have fun getting ranked!
bencelot.

This version puts a stronger emphasis on the GTA aspects of GSA. If you can handle the chaos, you will be showered with xp, cash and more!

COPS: Cop waves come 2x as frequently, as do wanted levels.

MISSIONS: We are no longer limited to 1 mission per round. There are also brand new civilian missions, and if you don't like one you can replace it by talking to another civ.

CARS: Vehicles now deal extra road-kill damage and get a +$1000 reward for a successful roadkill. And they help find missions!

In exciting news, a new RANKED MODE will be released sometime next week. A true test of skill with a leaderboard, win rating (similar to MMR), and custom rank badges. Stay tuned.

----


--- GAMEPLAY CHANGES ---

- Players can climb wanted levels faster.

- Players can do up to 3 missions per round instead of 1.

- Every 3rd mission will give a random upgrade, otherwise cash.

- Contracts perk no longer adds extra missions, but makes them all random upgrades instead of cash.

- Chems cost 10k instead of 8s, but take 1.0 instead of 1.5s to place.

- Vendor upgrades now cost $6000/7000/8000/9000/10000 (capped at $10k).


--- GENERAL CHANGES ---

- Added a button to refresh leaderboards.


--- SKILL CHANGES ---

- Boots of Travel speed is now +20/30/40/60 instead of +15/25/35/55%

- Mana Shield protection is now -15/20/25/35% instead of -10/15/20/30%

- Clip Magnet seeking is reduced to +10/15/20/30 instead of +20/30/40/60

- Backtrack duration is now 4/6/8/12 instead of 4/5/6/8s

Heyo, this version makes it so F2P peeps can now attempt hardcore survival runs. Coop is now also available to F2P players. Previously these were DLC only features (the DLC still lets you play multiple runs per day as well as modify your run with a bunch of difficulty modifiers).

Have fun!

----

--- MAJOR CHANGES ---

- F2P players can now attempt 24 instead of 10 challenges in the challenge grid.

- F2P players can now attempt hardcore survival difficulty.

- F2P players can now do co-op survival runs with friends (1 per day, get the DLC for unlimited runs per day).

- F2P players can now complete the first 3 survival difficulty modifers (the rest are for the Deluxe Edition).


--- GAMEPLAY CHANGES ---

- When you join a game mid-way, the game will auto level some skills for you so you can just start playing and not have to click 10 times.

- The 4th level of every skill has been buffed, to make level 4 extra strong (the equivalent of 2 skill points).

- The power spike at level 7 gives +3 skill points instead of +4.

- Level 4 skills only become available when you reach level 10 in-game.

- Made civ vendors offer a more healthy random distribution of civ upgrades.

- Sped up the in-game skill point levelling curve by 10%.


--- GENERAL CHANGES ---

- At the end of the match, the extra XP you earn from end of match XP multipliers is shown.

- Survival challenges must be unlocked 1 at a time.

- Players only need to accept the random perk when starting a match, not the 2 they already know they have (fewer clicks).

- Every challenge in the challenge grid now gives XP and coins, instead of one or the other. To get the coins, claim them in the menu after a match.

- The DLC supporter's medallion once again shows next to your health bar.

- Increased the passive kill coin loot rate slightly.


--- SKILL CHANGES ---

- Flaming Bullets duration is now 0.6/0.8/1.0/1.4 instead of 0.6/0.9/1.2/1.5

- Energize speed is now +15/20/25/35% instead of +15/25/35/50%

- Vampirism healing is now +6/9/12/18 instead of +6/10/14/20

- Gunslinger recoil is now 85/75/65/50% instead of 80/65/50/30%

- Force Field health is now 90/120/150/200 instead of 80/100/120/150

- Manic Mechanic increases your vehicle boost speed by +10/20/30/40%


--- PERK CHANGES ---

- Black Market perk now lets you buy T2 and T3 guns a round earlier.

- Outlaw perk makes cop waves spawn upon you more frequently.

- Genetic Heart perk now gives +25 max hp instead of +20.

- Life Steal perk now gives +1.5 per bullet instead of +2.0.


--- BUG FIXES ---

- Fixed a bug where perks would display incorrectly if you joined mid-match.

- Fixed a bug where Flaming Bullets always appeared in the draft.

- Fixed a bug where vendors would show 2 identical upgrades.

Hey all! Nothing major this week, just some QoL changes and balance tweaks. A few of these were patched out already a few days ago, but here is a summary of the changes since v1.610.

Enjoy!

----


--- MAJOR GAMEPLAY CHANGES ---

- Tier 2 guns now cost $15000 instead of $10000.

- Tier 3 guns now cost $30000 instead of $25000.

- Removed the blue cop circle mechanic. You can now only lose your wanted level by paying off a vendor.



--- MINOR GAMEPLAY CHANGES ---

- Mission civs continue to offer the same mission to other players after you take the mission. So allies can grab the same one.

- As a zombie, survivors will show a full heart next to their health bar to indicate you will rez from killing them.

- The minimap zoom shows 250m instead of 150m around you.

- Removed the police grenade kills mission.

- Cop waves spawn differently now. The time between waves has been reduced, but a new wave will only trigger upon killing a cop.

- Cops deal 100% instead of 70% damage, but have 40 instead of 50hp.

- BR rounds 1 and 2 now give different rewards based on squad size: $5000 or 20hp for solos, $4000 or 15hp for duos, $3000 or 10hp for squads (and survival).

- Players who join a game mid-way now come in with higher cash and XP than before (closer to the actual average).

- Upgrade costs start at $6000 instead of $5000.

- Vendors no longer sell Warp Fields in Conquest or CTF modes.

- Reduce vehicle hitpoints by about 20%.



--- GENERAL CHANGES ---

- Music now plays all the time in BR modes, not just during overtime.

- Made daily challenges easier to complete.

- Streamlined the tutorial, removing unnecessary text.

- At the end of the round, the game now shows your rank, kills and deaths.



--- WEAPON CHANGES ---

- Shotguns now have more range, but more spread.

- Rifles have less spread, but more recoil (when holding the trigger).

- LMGS have more spread but 10% more damage.

- Flare Gun now costs $5000 instead of $3000.

- Blast Cannon can no longer be targeted at your feet, instead the bullets fly like a normal gun.



--- SKILL CHANGES ---

- Smoke Bomb is once again cast on your person, not cursor. It has increased radius by 5m for all levels.

- Venom damage increased to 20/35/50/70hp.

- Spike Trap damage buffed by 10hp at all levels.

- Assassinate cooldowns is now 5s instead of 10s.



--- PERK CHANGES ---

- Black market saves you $7000 instead of $5000.

- Buffed Skill Scan range from 150 to 300m.

- Buffed blast shield nade protection from -40% to -50%.

- Final Focus bullet speed and rof is now +25% instead of +20%.

- SWAT Vest now gives -75% damage from civs/cops instead of -50%.

- Flying Dagger now does 70hp instead of 60hp.

Oh. My. Gawd. Becky. Look at that - Cyberpunk aesthetic! It's so.. neon!

GSA has gone full Cyberpunk with a visual overhaul to the map and many effects in game. The map is now set in a dark, raining city lit by futuristic pink and blue neon lights. Your shifts and bullets have been recoloured to fit the look too, and when you kill enemies they will cover your screen in a big burst of neon blood. Best of all, the map will visually pulse to the beat of the new cyberpunk tunes!




The trailer has been updated with one of the new musical tracks and some new footage. Check it out!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]


Gene Shift Auto now has professionally made music!

The old music was made entirely by me, and it was.. you know, not bad. A bit of a catchy tune here and there? But I'm not a musician, and it's just not the same. These new tracks sound way better and really get the adrenaline pumping. And this makes a huge difference. After all, what is the point of GSA if not to inject a high-stakes rush of BR fueled dopamine right into your eyes and earballs? These tunes take that rush to the next level.




What's especially cool is how the music syncs with the action in the game. The music will only play during overtime of each round, to indicate that the stakes have changed and you need to focus.

As a refresher on how GSA plays, each match lasts 15 minutes, consisting of 3, 5 minute rounds. The winner of round 3 wins the game. And each round has 2 stages within it:

• Looting Stage (3 minutes): You can revive easily, so stakes are low. Mess around, fight cops, do missions, just enjoy some GTA vibes.
  
• Overtime (2 minutes): In overtime you can't revive anymore, so death is final. This massively raises the stakes, and is the BR part of the game. This is when the music kicks in, it's last man standing, and this helps remind you that the stakes are high and you need to survive!
  

The genre also changes based on what round you're in, gradually getting more and more intense.

• Round 1: Groovy Retro/Synthwave Vibes. Fun and melodic.
  
• Round 2: Actiony Cyberpunk vibes. Loud, industrial, and with a heavy beat.
  
• Round 3 (the final showdown): Dramatic/Epic/Dark Hans Zimmer just got cut off in traffic vibes.
  

Also, the volume of the music will change based on how well you're playing, getting louder and louder the longer you stay alive, to really amp up the adrenaline. Many elements in the game are visually synchronised to this beat as well, like police sirens will flash red/blue to the beat. Just for funsies.




There are a few big changes to improve the perks system that came out last month.

1: Perks no longer cost kill coins to unlock. Anyone who bought perks has been refunded those coins.

2: You can now equip 2 perks instead of 1, allowing you to create more interesting builds between games.

3: At the start of each match, all players are given a 3rd bonus perk. This is randomly chosen from all the perks in the game, even the ones you haven't earned yet.

Most interestingly, ALL players are given the SAME random perk. Which makes each game feel really different. In one match we all might get the +20 max hp perk (Genetic Heart), making it a slower, more tanky game. In the next we all might get the ability to throw 2x grenades. Knowing what your opponents have is something you'll want to adapt to while drafting your skill build in-game.




GSA is a complicated game, and it can be a bit overwhelming for new players.

But now you can fire up a quick game vs bots to learn, practice or experiment with that shiny new perk you unlocked. And no longer need to figure things out in the competitive heat of the PvP servers online. The bots are pretty easy as well, so if you just want a chill game to feel like a badass this is a nice option.




Next version I'll be adding a new cosmetics system, to allow players to customize their appearance with some fancy outfits and bling bling. Some cosmetics will be available for purchase with kill coins for free, and others exclusively purchased with a premium currency for people who want to support the game.

The ability to customise our characters has been requested for a long time now, and I'm excited to create some really sick (perhaps cyberpunky) looking outfits, taunts and special effects. Of course this will be purely cosmetic, and not affect gameplay in any way. Anyway will post more soon once I know more details.

Have fun and enjoy the new tunes!
Ben.






--- MAJOR GAMEPLAY CHANGES ---

- Players can now equip 2 perks instead of 1 in the skill tree. Your second perk is no longer randomly chosen from your pool of 6. You simply equip your 2 favourite perks. But you also get...

- At the start of each match, all players are given a 3rd bonus perk. This is randomly chosen from all the perks in the game and ALL players have the SAME perk. So we'll have games where everyone has extra health, or more grenades, or more money, etc. Each game will play differently and you'll want to adapt to this fact while drafting.

- The heart crate that used to land 1 minute after overtime (-1:00) has been removed. Instead, zombies will drop their heart fragments when you kill them, and if you can collect 4 you'll revive.

- Perks no longer cost kill coins to unlock. You simply get them for free once you earn enough medals in that skill tree. I have refunded kill coins to anyone who bought perks previously.

- There is a new PLAY VS BOTS option that instantly puts you into a BR Solos game vs bots on easy difficulty. Good for practice! You won't earn bonus end of match XP from this mode though.



--- MINOR GAMEPLAY CHANGES ---

- Heart crates now only have 6 instead of 8 heart pieces.

- Heart and Supply crates will automatically explode after 30s of not being opened.

- Zombies can now see each other during overtime (so they can find eachother to trade heart fragments).

- Cop waves come more frequently at higher wanted levels.

- Chemicals now bounce red in the HUD when you try cast them on cooldown.

- You can no longer downgrade weapons at vendors (the button will be greyed out).

- The cost to replace weapons of a similar tier at a vendor is $1000 instead of $2000.

- Round 1 victor now gets +$5000 instead of +$3000.

- Round 2 victor now gets +20 max hp instead of +15 max hp.

- The kill reward resets to $500 and 50xp instead of $300 and 30xp.

- Guns are now pseudorandom instead of true random from vendors (on a tier by tier basis). So if you haven't seen a specific gun it will be more likely to appear next time.



--- GRAPHICS, MUSIC & SOUNDS ---

- The map is now set at night time, has more neon lights, and graffiti on the walls.

- Added new cyberpunky (cyan and purple) effects in-game. When you kill players they burst out neon blood, shifts have neon cyberpunky colors, and things like jump pads now flash cyan and purple in time with the beat!

- Added new car radio tunes when civilians drive past. Also new sound effects for kills and when standing in the circle of death.

- If you have the Deluxe Edition, the GSA logo no longer appears above your head or in the scoreboard. It will still appear when you chat in-game and in the leaderboards.


--- CHEMICAL CHANGES ---

- Goo Trap's extra jump height is now 3m instead of 4m, and it increases the soul drop trigger requirement by 1.5m.



--- WEAPON CHANGES ---

- Improved the visual look of Photon Beam.

- Changed the color of bullet trails. They are now based on tier. Tier 1 = yellow, Tier 2 = blue, Tier 3 = purple.

- Knife no longer does 2x damage vs civs and cops.



--- SKILL CHANGES ---

- Xray Vision gets a HUGE range buff, now revealing players 50/100/150/250m away.

- Soul Drop healing now occurs over a period of 6s, and the lifesteal happens over 1s.

- Boots of Travel speed is now +10/20/30/45 instead of +20/30/40/60%, but the delay time is improved by 1s for all levels.



--- PERK CHANGES ---

- Contracts perk now always guarantees you get a random upgrade.